The Future That Never Was
by Marie Hawkins
Summary: After Gohan's death, Trunks realizes it isn't easy to maintain his Super Saiyan form. He doesn't have the strength he needs to save his people. A survivor from Pepper Town just might be able to help him find that strength. Slight Trunks\OC.
1. Frustration and Despair

**A\N:** I try to never work on two stories at once, but I kinda had to publish this. It's been rolling around in my head FOREVER. It's Mirai timeline (obviously) set in the three years NOT covered in 'The History of Trunks.' Hopefully things will all be canon, but I may screw up XO! Let me know if I do...

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><p>No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't make it last for more than a few minutes. He didn't understand. He had the anger, he had the desire to use his power for good, and he had the determination. Time and time again, his strength would wear down, and he would be too tired to carry on as a Super Saiyan. He'd even pushed himself over the edge a couple of times, bringing upon himself hours of scolding from his mother. He could never defeat the androids like this.<p>

Trunks shoved his hands in his pockets and walked away from the wreckage of another town. There was nothing he could do here, and the androids were long gone. His mother would worry if he wasn't home in time for dinner. She didn't really know that he was out searching for the androids, but she suspected, no doubt. Trunks wondered what his father would say, were he still alive. Would he let his only son look for the androids, or would he side with Bulma? The way his mom described him, Trunks figured his father would probably insist that he stay home. Then his father would go face the androids himself. That's what got him killed in the first place, fighting the androids alone. That's how Gohan had died, too. Day after day, Trunks wondered what would have happened if he'd been allowed to help Gohan fight the androids that day. He felt indirectly responsible for Gohan's death. And he was desperately trying to find a way to make that better. His own pain at Gohan's death was nothing in comparison to Chi-Chi's. When he and his mother went to visit her, she was merely a walking, talking shell. Trunks didn't even know if he'd use the word _living_ to describe her. She walked with the air of a woman who had lost everything. And she had. Her husband and her son were both dead. There was no spark of life in her eyes, no smile upon her lips, no youth left in her face. She was nothing like the Chi-Chi that Trunks had heard so much about from his mother.

Seeing all the pain around him reminded him, day after day, what he was fighting for. _Why_ he was fighting. Everyone was suffering, and they needed a hero. Trunks was frustrated that he couldn't be that hero. Not just yet, anyway. He couldn't hope to stand a chance against the androids at his current strength. In all honesty, these searches for the androids were a poor excuse for making himself feel better. He needed to find a better way to use his time, a way to reach his full potential. And going on wild goose chases certainly wasn't going to do the trick. He wished there were some way he could make himself ready to fight the androids _now. _Gohan would probably tell him to be patient, but Trunks found that nearly impossible. There was only a matter of time left before everyone was dead.

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><p>Trunks entered his front door as quietly as he could, trying not to draw attention from his mother. Despite all his best efforts, she heard him come in.<p>

"So," she said, walking up to him, her hands on her hips. "Did you enjoy your _walk_, son?" she asked. Trunks swallowed nervously.

"Yeah," he said, shakily. "It was nice to get some fresh air." His mother rolled her eyes. Trunks had never been a good liar.

"How many times do I have to tell you, Trunks?" she asked. Her face was torn between anger and worry. "It's not safe for you to be out on your own! And to be quite honest, I don't really trust you out there. I don't want you going and getting yourself killed."

"Mom," he protested, slightly annoyed. "I'm fine, you don't need to worry."

"I don't need to _worry_?" she said in disbelief. "Trunks, people are dying right and left out there. I'm not just going to let you wander off and play hero!"

"Those people out there _need_ a hero, Mom. And I'm not just going to sit by and watch them die!" Trunks clenched his fists and added, "That's not what Gohan would want me to do."

"Gohan wouldn't want you to go and get yourself killed! You can't just go out and expect to be everyone's hero. You're not ready, Trunks!" Bulma's voice grew louder and angrier. Trunks knew that this was the end of the conversation. He knew his mother cared about him, he even knew she was right, but her words stung.

Trunks looked at his mother reproachfully and turned to walk towards his room, ignoring anything further she said. He knew she would continue to be furious at him, but he didn't care. Her lack of faith in him just made him feel worse. He hated feeling helpless. He wished there was something he could do. Anything.

Trunks stayed in his room for the remainder of the evening. It was childish of him to ignore his mother like this, he knew that. He just wasn't sure what was going on with him internally. He was upset at himself more than his mother, really. It wasn't exactly fair of him to expect her to have faith in him when he didn't even have faith in himself.

For some reason, Trunks kept getting the feeling that his father would know what to do. Trunks shrugged this idea off. It didn't help him any. He knew what his father would do; charge into battle. Trunks couldn't do that. He simply _couldn't_. He'd seen the way Gohan's death had torn Chi-Chi's fragile spirit apart. He couldn't do that to his own mother. Not when she was begging and pleading him not to.

His thoughts were interrupted by a soft knocking at his door. Without waiting for a reply, his mother walked in. Her expression was soft. She walked over to her only son and sat beside him on the bed, sighing.

"I love you, Trunks Brief, you know that don't you?" she asked. Trunks nodded. "I- I just want you to be safe."

Trunks leaned over, throwing himself into his mother's arms. She squeezed him tightly and ran her fingers through his hair the way she used to when he was younger.

"I think we should take a trip up to District 439 tomorrow," she whispered, still absentmindedly stroking his hair. "You know, to visit Chi-Chi," she said slowly. "It's been almost two years since… since-"

"-Since Gohan was killed?" Trunks supplied. She nodded. "Alright," he said. They hardly got a chance to visit Chi-Chi anymore. She lived so far away, and the journey was dangerous. Trunks suspected that his mother was trying to take his mind off his search for the androids. It would work. For now, at least. Eventually, Trunks was going to be able to maintain his Super Saiyan form. And then it would be game over for the androids.


	2. District 439

The day had been calm. Trunks and his mother had woken at the crack of dawn and traveled nearly all day. There was no sign of the androids, nor any reports of attacks. For once, things seemed peaceful. It was a strange feeling, but pleasant and very welcomed.

Bulma chattered for most of the drive. She mostly spoke of the old days, which was something she liked to do. Things seemed like they were so much happier back then and so much easier. Trunks had always loved to listen to his mother tell stories of what it was like growing up. Her favorite story to tell was the time she first met Goku. Trunks imagined that his mother was a lively, but reckless teenager. She had to be if she almost ran over a kid. He smiled at the thought of his teenage mother stuck with a naïve boy. He assumed his mother made herself seem more patient than she really was. The memories, however, made her happy. Trunks had never heard his mom laugh, truly laugh, unless she was regaling him with tales of the past. The thought that times would never be that happy again for his mother suddenly struck him. She must want peace just as badly as he, if not more so.

Bulma's voice was soothing, and so, guiltily, Trunks dozed off in the passenger seat of the car. The cool wind gently caressed his face. It seemed as though it was only moments later when he was prodded awake gently by his mother. Trunks sat up and surveyed his surroundings. They were in the calm, quiet woods. Everything was normal here, as though the small district hadn't suffered from the androids' deadly touch. There were even birds chirping; something he hadn't heard in a long time.

Trunks stretched and stood. He followed his mother up to the snug cottage belonging to Chi-Chi. It was well kempt, yet still had the feeling of abandonment. There was a cheery glow coming from the windows, yet there was an unwelcoming cold in the air. Bulma knocked on the door and stepped back, waiting for the door to open. There was audible movement inside the Son house, and finally the door slowly opened. The Ox-King's hulking figure filled the doorway. His expression brightened as he saw Bulma and Trunks. He opened the door and beckoned them inside.

"Hey, Chi-Chi," he called excitedly. "Look who's here!" Chi-Chi, who had been sitting in the living room, stood and walked towards them. She seemed to have aged a decade since Trunks saw her last. Her eyes still held the same eternal sadness, but upon seeing her old friend they brightened. She pulled Bulma and Trunks into a tight hug.

"It's wonderful to see you again," she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper. She released Bulma, but held Trunks out at arm's length, examining him. She almost smiled. "You've grown, Trunks. You're not the little boy I remember anymore."

"Strange, isn't it?" Bulma mused aloud to Chi-Chi. "They grow up so fast." Trunks shifted his weight from his right leg to his left. He hated it when his mother talked about him and he was standing right there. It made him feel extremely out of place, as though he were merely an ornament or a piece of furniture that was there to be studied.

"You two showed up just in time," the Ox-King said, cheerily, "I was just about to start some dinner." He grinned hugely.

"I think I'll take over tonight, Papa," Chi-Chi spoke up. "We have guests." Her father's grin widened.

"I guess that's a better idea, but are you sure you're up to it?" he asked, his concern showing clearly in his tone.

"I'm fine, Dad," she said, laughing lightly. "Besides, it'll be good to do something. Bulma can help me," her attempt at cheeriness faltered. "Oh, I'm afraid we don't have any meat," she sighed.

"I can go get something," Trunks offered. He didn't know why. He hadn't ever hunted before, but the concept didn't seem to be too difficult. Chi-Chi's face brightened.

"Would you? That would be wonderful," she smiled at him, but her smile didn't reach her eyes. It pained Trunks to see her putting on this façade when he knew that, deep down, she was drowning in agony. Trunks smiled back and ducked out of the house.

The sun was almost ready to set, but still had several hours of blue sky to travel. Trunks shoved his hands in his pockets and walked off towards a cluster of trees. He looked around him. He'd only been in the woods once or twice. Being raised in the city, or what was left of it, he never had to worry about hunting for his food. He was sure it wouldn't be long before he ran across some form of edible animal. It was the forest, after all. He walked, vaguely aware of the crunch of the ground underneath his feet. Once he realized how loud his footsteps actually were, he attempted to silence them, having little luck. Perhaps if he stood still, an animal would come to him. He'd have better luck at not being heard that way. Trunks stopped walking and waited. Shortly, he heard the soft padding of footsteps across the forest floor. He stood completely still, holding his breath.

A magnificent looking stag wandered into sight. Trunks smiled to himself as he laid eyes upon it. Bingo. Catching it couldn't be too difficult. He waited several seconds more, until the stag began to turn its attentions to the forest floor, and then charged forward. The stag reacted quicker than he had expected and darted off. Trunks growled underneath his breath and began to pursue. So much for an easy catch. Trunks had only been chasing the stag for mere seconds when he realized he had nothing to kill the animal with except his hands, and that seemed rather primitive. As he ran, he picked up a rock from the ground. He hoped he could throw it hard enough.

As Trunks raised his arm to throw the rock, an arrow whizzed past his cheek. Trunks saw it hit the stag, and bring it crashing to the ground. Stunned, Trunks looked around to see where this arrow had come from. Arrows weren't exactly common anymore, but perhaps here in the district they weren't all that out of place. Behind him stood a smiling girl, firmly clasping an elegant bow in her hands. She walked forward toward her kill.

"A word of advice," she said as she knelt down to remove her arrow, "Learn to attack quieter. You sounded like a stampeding dinosaur." She turned her face in Trunks' direction, still smiling. Trunks' pride was hurt. He would have caught that stag if she hadn't come barreling through.

"That was _my_ stag," he retorted childishly. The girl laughed, angering Trunks more.

"It would have eventually outrun you," she shrugged. "Stags run a lot faster than you think. Maybe you'll have better luck fishing." She stood and walked towards him, wiping her blood stained hands on her pants. "You're from the city aren't you?"

"So what if I am?" he asked, crossing his arms. "It's different there. You have no idea what things are like." Trunks knew this girl didn't mean to be offensive. She was probably just joking. But she spoke of the city with such disdain and it struck a wrong chord with him.

"Actually, I do," she whispered. Her reply took Trunks by surprise. "I left when I was thirteen. I guess _escaped_ is a better word. But that's all in the past," she sighed, and turned back to the stag. "What's a city boy doing out here in the districts?" she asked, trying to lighten the conversation.

"Uh, visiting," Trunks said, nervously stuffing his hands into his pockets.

"You got a name?" she asked, as she dragged the stag back towards him.

"Trunks," he replied. He was shocked at how easy it was for her to drag her kill. "Trunks Brief."

"Oh, a famous Brief, eh?" she said, smiling. "My father's a fan of your grandfather's work. He used to tinker when we lived in the city, but he gave it up after my mom died. He wasn't any good at it anyway," she laughed a little. She began to walk off, but paused when she noticed Trunks wasn't following. "You coming, Brief?" she asked. Trunks hesitated. This girl was… unusual. She acted so calm and casual around him, despite his earlier hostility. He studied her face. She was still quite girlish, about his age, and looked innocent enough. There was something about her that drew him to her. In the city, he'd never really had anyone to talk to besides his mom. He fell into step beside the girl.

"Where are you headed?" she asked. "I'll split the stag with you. My father and I couldn't eat the whole thing anyway."

"My mother and I are staying at the Son house," Trunks said. "It's not too far from here." A pleasant silence fell upon the two. It was nice to have someone close to his age around. Trunks hadn't really had any sort of connection like that since Gohan had died. This girl reminded Trunks of him in subtle ways. She was eager to help and was quite confident, but not in an arrogant way. Maybe those attitudes just came with living in the districts. At any rate, it was lucky he ran into her.

Shortly, the two came upon Chi-Chi's cottage. The sun was just beginning to set, casting an orange glow on everything. Trunks halted, and the girl stopped beside him.

"We're here?" she asked. Trunks nodded. "Why don't you go let your friends know we're here, and I'll start cleaning the stag," she suggested. Trunks began to walk away, when a question popped into his head. He knew it was stupid to ask, but it was a matter of pride.

"Hey," he said, turning back to the girl. "If anyone asks, I killed the stag, okay?" It came out as more of a command than a question, but it was too late to rephrase his wording now. The girl looked up from the stag and flicked her scarlet hair out of her eyes.

"Right," she said, smiling. Feeling a little better, Trunks walked inside.


	3. Bulma's Plan

"Thank you so much for dinner," Bulma said to Chi-Chi as they cleared the table. Trunks stood to help. Chi-Chi's face broke into a smile that seemed a little bigger than it had all night.

"It was my pleasure," she said. "It's nice to have people around again." Chi-Chi filled the sink with water as Bulma, Trunks, and the Ox-King stacked the dishes up. "You two are probably really tired," she said. "Dad, will you show them where they'll be sleeping?" The Ox-King nodded, and beckoned Trunks and Bulma to follow him.

"Are you sure you don't want my help with-" Bulma offered. Chi-Chi shook her head.

"Don't worry about it. I've got it," she reassured. Bulma turned to follow the Ox-King. The room he led them to was the first door on the right of the hallway. He opened the door and let them walk inside. There were two beds pushed together. The Ox-King pulled them apart.

"I take up a little more room than the average guy," he said chuckling. Trunks studied his surroundings. The room was small, but cheery. It looked as though nothing in it had been touched for ages. There was a desk in the far corner by the window, a small empty closet, and a pile of books resting on the floor. It suddenly hit Trunks that this must have been Gohan's room. The thought brought him an odd sense of security.

"Let me know if you need anything," he said smiling. Bulma and Trunks thanked him before he ducked out of the room and left them alone for the night. Trunks walked over to the bed closest to the desk and sat. Being in Gohan's room gave him a surreal feeling. This is where his master spent most of his time. This is where he had grown up, studied, dreamed, played, and trained. Everything was still in its place as though waiting for the former master to come back. Trunks laid on his back and stared up at the ceiling.

"Trunks," Bulma said gently, pulling him from his thoughts. "We need to talk." She sat on the end of the bed. Trunks sat up, facing his mother. He couldn't read her expression, so he wasn't quite sure what kind of conversation was about to ensue. "While you were out, Chi-Chi and I were talking about things. She's been awful lonely since Goku and Gohan died," Bulma started. "I proposed an… idea to her. At first, she wasn't sure she liked it, but I kind of talked her into it. I think it would be what is best for everyone."

"Mom?" Trunks asked. "You're not making any sense. What's your idea?" He was almost afraid of what his mother would say. She had the strangest ideas and they didn't always work the way she intended them to.

"I think you should stay here," Bulma sighed.

"Stay in District 439?" he asked, slightly angered. "Why? Because you're afraid I'm going to do something stupid?"

"Trunks, honey, I just want you to be safe," she reasoned. That was all she ever told him. Didn't she realize that _his_ safety didn't matter? He only cared about everyone else. There were countless scores of people that had already died because he hadn't killed the androids. He felt like he had blood on his hands. Sitting safely in District 439 wasn't going to help anything.

"What about you?" he asked. "What about everyone else that lives in the city? Don't they matter?"

"Trunks," Bulma said, calmly, "I understand that you want to help people, but you can't. You won't be able to help anyone if you go off and get yourself killed. Sometimes I think you forget that you're only a sixteen year old boy." Trunks fell silent. She was right. As usual. "It will only be for a while," she added.

"So I stay with Chi-Chi and keep her company," he said. Bulma nodded. Trunks sighed. He hoped his presence would do _something_ to lighten her sorrow. It had been so long since she'd had Gohan around. Thinking about it, Trunks almost felt like he owed Chi-Chi. If it weren't for her, he'd never have had a master and friend.

"You can still train here," Bulma said, ruffling his hair. "You'll have more room. Then when it's time for you to come back we can talk about defeating the androids."

"You really think I'll be able to do it? Trunks asked. He pretended to have confidence in himself, but he knew that in his current state he didn't stand a chance. His mother never really spoke of Trunks' fighting ability. He didn't know if she had faith in him or if she even wanted _him_ to be the one to defeat the androids.

"I know you can," she said, smiling slightly. "You _are _your father's son. You have the same insane determination he did." It was rare that Bulma actually spoke of Trunks' father. Trunks didn't ask her to tell more about him, though he was yearning to know. If he asked, he knew she'd just shut down. It was like she hated getting sentimental about him. Trunks wasn't quite sure he understood, but he let his parents' relationship be what it was without asking too many questions. "I have an idea," Bulma said, changing the subject, "about how to defeat the androids."

"Really?" Trunks asked. His mother never really expressed an interest in fighting or plotting. She was more of a scientist and an inventor.

"It has to do with time travel," she began. Trunks could hear the excitement in her voice. His mom always got excited when she talked about projects or experiments. "Sure, you can save our time, but what about the past? We should be able to go back in the past and fix this mess."

"How would we do that?" Trunks asked. "You don't have blueprints for a time machine anywhere."

"No," she agreed. "But the idea is fairly simple. If I start on this project as soon as possible, the time machine could be completed in about a year. Then you can save Goku and help him defeat the androids in his time."

"You think it would work?" Trunks asked skeptically. The idea of a time machine was radical, even for his mother. Besides, he'd have to be extremely careful not to mess up the other events affecting the future. Time travel was a risky business.

"If Goku's alive then absolutely," Bulma said. She smiled to herself, patted Trunks' cheek, and stood. "You'd better get some rest," she said, kissing his head. "Goodnight, Trunks."

"Goodnight, Mom," he replied as she shut off the light. He slid underneath Gohan's blankets, hardly prepared to sleep. His head was buzzing with the idea of finally defeating the androids. He wasn't quite sure what to make of the time travel idea, so he let it sit in the back of his mind and slowly drifted off to sleep.


	4. A Little Bit of Breakfast

"Chi-Chi's counting on you," Bulma whispered as she hugged Trunks tightly. "Look out for her, okay?" Trunks nodded, pressing his face into his mother's warm skin. He felt childish, but he didn't care. He hadn't ever really been separated from his mother for an extended period of time.

"I'll miss you, mom," he said. She ruffled his hair gently. It was a habit she seemed to be picking up again. Trunks didn't mind.

"I'll miss you too, kid," she smiled. She held him out at arm's length, and studied him. He smiled back at her, wishing there was some way he could stay here and still go back to the city with her.

"Take care of yourself," he said lightly. His mother tucked her long turquoise hair behind her ear, laughing.

"You know me," she said, as though that were supposed to be reassuring.

"That's why I'm worried," he replied with a half smile. His mother released him, gently kissed his forehead, and turned to leave.

From the window, Trunks watched his mother drive away. He wasn't sure when he'd see her again or even _if_ he'd see her again. A slight pang of sadness settled in the bottom of his stomach. Trunks tried to ignore it; there really wasn't much he could do. Besides, he had Chi-Chi to look after now. He couldn't surrender to his worry. He would feel horrible if he broke down in front of her.

After a moment, Trunks stood. Chi-Chi and her father were still asleep. Trunks, however, was restless. He knew he wouldn't be able to go back to sleep, even if he tried. He walked to the front door, pulled on his boots, and slipped quietly outside. The cool morning breeze was relaxing. He wasn't really sure where he was going, he was just walking wherever his feet decided to take him. Walking brought a strange relaxation that flying never did. However, in the city, walking around alone was careless. The androids were much faster and stealthier than anything that could walk. Though they enjoyed picking on large groups, news reports detailing the death of a solitary person were not uncommon. It seemed like the androids would take any sort of kill they could get. If you were out by yourself- or even in a large group- on foot there was sadly no point in trying to escape. That was why Trunks stuck to flying. Flying was much faster and far safer.

Eventually, Trunks soon heard the bubbling of a small creek, and walked quickly in that direction. He hadn't realized how thirsty he was until he saw the clear water glinting in the morning sun. As he neared the creek he saw the figure of a girl. She was practicing some strange form of martial arts that he'd never seen before. He continued to walk forward, but was a little more cautious. The girl must have heard his footsteps, for she froze and flipped her scarlet covered head in his direction. At first, Trunks was worried, until he recognized the face. It was the girl from yesterday.

"Hey," he greeted, waving timidly. She tossed him a half smile, relaxing and putting a hand on her hip.

"Oh, it's you, Brief. I should have guessed. I thought you were heading back to the city today?" she asked, stepping out of the creek and toward Trunks.

"Yeah," Trunks said, laughing nervously, "Change of plans." He didn't know why he was so nervous around this girl. Sure, he didn't get to interact with girls very often, but his mother was a girl. And she was probably just about as scary as they could get. So why did his tongue feel like it weighed a ton?

"You're staying around then?" she asked.

"Looks that way," he nodded. "What were you doing?" he asked, quickly changing the subject. The girl's face turned a little pink, but she replied with a steady voice.

"Oh, my father let me study martial arts when we lived in Pepper Town," she shrugged. "My father told me I had to quit once I lost my sight, but I still practice out here."

"You-you're blind?" Trunks asked the girl. It wasn't something he would have expected to hear from her. She moved so well and seemed to be so aware of her intricate surroundings.

"Yeah," she grinned. "I guess if you couldn't tell, it means I'm doing a good job hiding it." Trunks studied the girl's eyes. Now that she mentioned her sightlessness, he noticed the difference in her eyes. They were a cloudy, stormy gray and were never quite looking exactly where they should be. Regardless of their lack of function, her eyes were quite beautiful.

"Are you out here to hunt again?" she asked him, changing the subject once more. Trunks shook his head. He wasn't entirely sure why he was out here. There was no real reason, he supposed.

"Nah, I just came to clear my head," he said, stuffing his hands into his pockets.

"Well, maybe I could interest you in some breakfast?" she asked, walking back to the creek. "I really have nothing to do but hunt, so my father and I have plenty of meat." She walked back to his side, holding up a pair of large fish. Trunks was hesitant to accept food again. She had already helped him hunt once. "Oh, come on," she said. "A little breakfast never hurt anyone," she teased.

"Only if you come eat with us," Trunks said, surrendering. "Chi-Chi won't mind I'm sure." He wasn't sure why he had invited this girl over so quickly. Maybe he felt uneasy about his first day with Chi-Chi. Maybe he was just grateful to have found a friend. Either way, he would be glad to have her company.

"Great," she said, her smile widening. She stepped closer to Trunks and laced her free arm through his. "Just so I can keep up easier," she explained. The two of them walked, arm in arm, back to the Son house.


	5. Destry

Chi-Chi was awake when Trunks returned to the cottage. She was sitting at the table, staring absentmindedly at the knitting in her hands. She wasn't making much progress, just staring at the work that she had already done. She looked up as she saw Trunks enter the kitchen. She smiled slightly, still not to her full capacity, but it was a smile nonetheless. Trunks returned the smile muttering a 'good morning.'

"Has Bulma already left, then?" she asked. Trunks nodded. Chi-Chi's face fell slightly. "Oh. I had hoped to be able to say goodbye." Her eyes flitted back down to her knitting and then back up to Trunks. She noticed the scarlet haired girl standing beside him. She brightened again. "Oh, I'm being rude. You've brought a guest! Who is your friend, Trunks?" Trunks felt stupid all of a sudden. He had never even thought to ask the girl her name. He'd only talked to her once or twice, but she already knew his name. Trunks floundered for a few seconds until the scarlet haired girl stepped in.

"Destry," she said, smiling at Chi-Chi. Destry. So Trunks finally had a name to put with a face. He had a name for one of his only friends. He had a name for the girl who was to be his only companion for the unknown months ahead. Destry.

"Oh, I remember," Chi-Chi said, feeding of Destry's cheerful attitude. "You're the girl from Pepper Town who lives with her father by the creek."

"Yes ma'am," Destry nodded.

"And you've brought fish," Chi-Chi said, happily. "I've missed cooking fish," she laughed sadly, "It was Goku's favorite." As she spoke her last sentence, her voice faded, and her eyes filled with ghosts of shadow and empty sorrow. She looked into the distance as though she were remembering all of the times she'd cooked fish for Goku. Shortly, she snapped back to reality. "Thank you," she said. "Are you sure your father won't want some?" she asked.

"He'll be fine," Destry said. "He doesn't like waking before noon."

"Then you'll join us for breakfast, won't you?" Chi-Chi asked, standing to take the fish off Destry's hands. Destry laughed.

"Only if it's alright with you," she said. Chi-Chi nodded. "Trunks made it very clear that I didn't really have a choice in the matter."

"Well, he's such a good boy," Chi-Chi smiled, winking at Trunks. He felt his cheeks burn slightly, but he didn't say anything. "Why don't you two wash up for breakfast?" Chi-Chi suggested."And, Trunks? Would you wake up my father? He'll be upset if we eat without him." Trunks nodded, and Chi-Chi turned promptly to the sink to begin cooking. Destry reached forward and lightly placed her hand on Trunks' elbow. He led her through the house to a sink.

"She seems much happier than the last time I visited," Destry mused. She was talking about Chi-Chi, of course. Trunks nodded in agreement. Chi-Chi seemed to have blossomed overnight. She looked immensely happier, when- mere hours ago- happiness was an emotion Trunks thought her incapable of. She wasn't quite back to herself, at least, she wasn't back to the Chi-Chi Trunks had heard so much about, but she was making slow progress. She still looked tired, but her energy was beginning to show through. Some of the worry lines on her face had smoothed themselves over.

"I hope she continues to improve," Trunks said aloud. "She was so sad." He hoped his presence here would have the desired effect. His mother had left him here for multiple reasons, and cheering up Chi-Chi was one of them.

When Trunks and Destry had finished washing their hands, they walked into the living room. The Ox King was asleep on the couch. Waking him up was going to be a more difficult task than Trunks had originally thought. He prodded the large man's arm.

"Uh, Mr. Ox King?" he asked. "Sir?" he continued to poke at the sleeping giant, having no effect. Destry ripped the blanket off Chi-Chi's father in hopes that he cool morning air would coax him awake. She had no success either. Instead, the Ox King rolled over and muttered something in his sleep that sounded to Trunks something like, 'Darn kids.' Trunks looked at Destry and shrugged, momentarily forgetting her blindness. Destry, unable to see Trunks' frustration, was not about to give up. And she didn't look like whe was quite out of ideas just yet. She grinned and leaned closer to the Ox King's face.

"Mr. Ox King?" Destry yelled, inches away from the Ox King's ear. In addition to Trunks poking- which had become so rough, it could easily be considered punching- the Ox King slowly opened his eyes. He rubbed them gently with his giant fists as he sat up.

"What is it?" he asked, looking at Trunks and Destry.

"Chi-Chi says we're going to have breakfast soon," Trunks said, relieved that they had finally woken Chi-Chi's father. The Ox King's face brightened at the prospect of breakfast.

"Goody," he said, standing and walking quickly to the kitchen. He offered his services to Chi-Chi, and in no time at all the four of them were sitting around the table eating their breakfast and chatting happily. Trunks suddenly realized how nice it would be to have company all the time. In the city, all he had was his mom. He loved her, and there was nothing wrong with spending time with her, but he sometimes wished there were more people around he could spend time with. Things were far too dangerous for that in the city, but here, everything seemed safe. The androids hadn't touched a thing, and everything was perfect. Trunks wished life could be this simple everywhere. He vowed to himself that, one day, it would be.


	6. Daughter of the Ox King

Chi-Chi had gone outside to hang laundry, and Destry had long since gone home. Trunks was inside along with the Ox King. The two had swapped stories for the past hour, but Trunks was growing restless. He felt he should be training, but he didn't really know where to start. He hadn't progressed much since he'd lost Gohan. In fact, it almost seemed as though he were moving backwards.

"What's wrong, Trunks?" Ox King asked, sensing his discomfort. Trunks sighed, pulling his knees up to his chin.

"I feel so useless," he confessed. "I should be doing something to stop the androids, but I can't." He stared at the floor. Suddenly, a brilliant idea popped into his head. His mother had told him stories of the Ox King. She said he used to be one of the most feared beings on the planet. He had trained under Master Roshi. He knew martial arts well. "Would you train me?" he asked, his voice suddenly full of hope. If he was trained by Ox King then surely he would progress. Surely he would gain the strength he needed to defeat the androids.

"Me?" the Ox King asked, laughing. "I couldn't train you."

"Why not?" asked Trunks, slightly irritated. "You were a martial artist once. My mom tells me you were very good."

"Trunks," the Ox King sighed, "I couldn't teach you anything you don't already know. You're one of the many people on this planet that are much stronger than I am already."

"But in the old days-"

"In the old days my size gave me an advantage," he interrupted. "That won't do you any good. Heck, it doesn't do _me_ any good anymore."

"Then it's hopeless," Trunks said, leaning back in frustration.

"I think I know a perfect trainer for you," Ox King said slowly. "She hasn't practiced martial arts in a while, but I'm sure she remembers everything she once did. She was trained by her father. She's one of the greatest fighters around, you know." Trunks was intrigued. He sat up again. The Ox King continued, "I've watched some of her fights. She's very impressive. Of course, getting her to agree to train you would be the hard part. She doesn't usually take students."

"Well, where do I find… her?" Trunks had just realized that Ox King had been referring to this trainer as a female. He'd never had a female teach him anything about martial arts before. He wondered why she hadn't done anything about the android problem, seeing as how she was one of the strongest people on the planet.

"You don't have to go far," the Ox King smiled. "She lives here."

"She lives in the District?" Trunks said. He was doing his best to refrain from standing with excitement. He wanted to meet this new trainer. "Where?" he asked, anxiously. The Ox King laughed.

"She lives in this house."

"You mean _Chi-Chi_?" Trunks asked, astounded. He had no idea that Chi-Chi was so powerful. His mom had told him a story about Chi-Chi's fight in the World Martial Arts Tournament. Chi-Chi had to fight Goku and lost. But Trunks couldn't really blame her. First of all, Goku was one of the strongest beings to ever have lived, according to his mother. Secondly, also according to his mother, Chi-Chi was already madly in love with Goku at this point.

"Don't act so surprised. She's the daughter of the Ox King," the Ox King said, halting his laughter. Trunks' hope deflated ever so slowly. Chi-Chi would never train him. She probably wanted nothing to do with fighting anymore. She'd lost her son to the androids. She wasn't likely to send Trunks out to fight them.

"I- I couldn't ask her to train me," Trunks said, dejectedly. He sank back in the cushions of the couch. He was back at square one.

"Why don't you give it a try?" Ox King asked. "Your fighting spirit reminds me a lot of Chi-Chi sometimes. I think that, maybe, training you would help her. She'd regain some of her old fire. You'd definitely grow stronger. She worked with Gohan a little, you know."

"Really?" Trunks asked. If Chi-Chi had helped Gohan gain some of his immense power, perhaps she could work wonders for him. But, if the last person she had trained was Gohan- He couldn't ask.

"She's not going to do it," he said. He was sure. "It'll bring back too much pain. I can't do that to her."

"Even if it means letting more people die at the hands of the androids? It's worth a shot, Trunks. You have to promise me you'll ask." Trunks had never seen the Ox King more serious in his life. And Trunks knew he was right. He had to at least _try_. Otherwise, there was no hope for anyone else. Trunks would have to train himself, and Kami only knew how long that would take. Half the population could be dead by that time. The androids would probably have moved on to the Districts by that point. They would begin to destroy the only place their evil hadn't quite touched. Trunks couldn't let that happen.

"Fine," Trunks sighed. He still had a nagging feeling Chi-Chi wasn't going to accept. He was afraid he'd only make things worse for her. She surely remembered what it was like having a son who- it seemed- only lived to kill the androids. He couldn't put her through that again. But if she was really just as strong as the Ox King claimed, then maybe he would have a chance after all. Chi-Chi was the deciding factor in this stage. If she agreed to train him, perhaps he'd be able to defeat the androids sooner. Then no more lives would be lost at their hands, no more cities destroyed, no more families torn apart. Life would look up for once. He just had to remind Chi-Chi of this.


	7. The Request

The rain pattered heavily against the windows of Chi-Chi's little cottage. Trunks shut off the lights in his room and stood at the window, mesmerized. He was having unfortunate flashbacks. He always did when the rain was heavy like this. With each clap of thunder he saw Gohan's face, his eyes lifeless, his body limp and useless. Trunks had never felt more helpless in his life than when he held Gohan that day. It was like all of his hope had been washed away.

Trunks felt wetness on his cheeks and cursed at himself. However, as much as he wanted to stop his flow of tears, he couldn't. He missed Gohan more than anything in the world. He'd never really cried over his master for about a year now. He thought he was over Gohan's passing, but the more thought he put into it, the more he realized he was still wallowing in agony. He was sure Gohan was disappointed with him. There wasn't anything Trunks had done to avenge his death. Despite all the training Gohan had given him, Trunks had only made one attempt to take down the androids thus far. And he had failed miserably. Standing there, crying like a child, only made him feel worse.

There was a soft knock at his door. Trunks cursed under his breath and quickly brushed away the tears that were sliding down his cheeks.

"Come in," he said quietly. Chi-Chi poked her head in, smiling softly.

"Hey, Trunks," she said, slipping quietly into the room. "I brought you some clean sheets. I figured the ones you had would need to be washed soon." She set down clean sheets on the edge of Trunks' bed.

"Thanks," Trunks said. Chi-Chi straightened and studied his face. Trunks held his breath, hoping that she wouldn't notice that he'd been crying.

"Are you alright, Trunks?" she asked. She'd noticed. Trunks didn't know why he'd thought his tear streaked face would escape Chi-Chi's notice. She was a mother after all.

"Fine," he said, his voice breaking. "Just having awful memories." Chi-Chi swayed where she stood for several moments, as though unsure of what to do and studying him with a sympathetic look on her face. She slowly walked forward and put her arms around him, resting her head against his.

"They're about Gohan, aren't they?" she asked. He nodded. Trunks was surprised that she was able to tell what was bothering him so quickly. He also felt immediately guilty. He shouldn't be burdening Chi-Chi with memories of her son.

"Talk with me," she said. She sat on Trunks' bed, motioning for him to sit with her. Trunks sat stiffly.

"I-I can't," he said, slowly. If he talked about this with Chi-Chi he'd make her upset. She seemed like she was just beginning to recover. He couldn't bring back all of this pain to her. It would be selfish and unfair.

"Yes, you can," she said, firmly. "Trunks, Gohan was your best friend. It's okay to still be hurting over something like this. When you get upset, you have to talk to someone about it. Kami knows I didn't, and look what happened to me."

"I know," he said, quietly. "I just don't want to make things worse for you." Chi-Chi laughed darkly and gave him a one armed embrace.

"Trunks, you've done more for me and for Gohan than you realize," she said. Her voice was soft, but steady. "Just you being here makes me feel so much better," she admitted.

"I miss him," Trunks whispered, burying his face in Chi-Chi's shoulder. Strangely, the more he admitted to himself that he missed Gohan, the better he felt. Chi-Chi hugged him to her, gently, and smoothed down his hair.

"I do too," she replied. "Rainy weather reminds me of him, you know. I don't think I'll ever forget the night you brought him back to me," her voice trailed off. Trunks remembered exactly what she was talking about. Upon seeing his best friend dead, he lost all reason. He felt rage that he'd never felt before. That was the first time he'd been able to transform into a Super Saiyan. He vaguely remembered journeying to the Districts, Gohan in his arms. He'd left Gohan with his distraught mother and Grandfather. Looking back, he felt guilty he didn't stay around. He had been too determined to fight the androids with his newfound power.

"Training you gave him new hope," she said. Trunks looked at her. She was looking out the window in the distance, but there was a faint smile pressed onto her lips.

"Really?" Trunks asked. He knew Gohan had faith in him, but he never thought it was that much. If Gohan had survived, then yes, over time they would have been able to take down the androids. But he assumed Gohan's faith in him would have to grow before he even dreamed they'd have a chance.

"Yeah," she said. "You gave me hope, too. You still do," she looked down at Trunks, still slightly smiling, and gently brushed an escaped tear away. "You have so much determination and fire in you. I can tell that Gohan knew what he was doing when he decided to train you." Trunks swallowed a lump in his throat. This was the time to ask Chi-Chi. His mind was screaming at him, he knew there would be no better opportunity for it.

"Will you help me?" he asked, sitting straight once more. Chi-Chi gave him a puzzled look. "Will you train me?" he asked, clarifying.

"Trunks-" she started.

"Gohan never got to finish training me," Trunks interrupted. "I know you're strong, too. I've heard stories. I just need you to help me concentrate. Otherwise, I can't maintain my Super Saiyan form. If I'm not a Super Saiyan, I can't defeat the androids."

"Trunks," Chi-Chi said, sharply. "I'm not half as strong as Gohan was. Besides, you're just a boy. I lost my only son to those heartless machines. Do you think I'm about to put your mother through the same thing?"

"She knows I want to do this," Trunks said, pleadingly. "You have to help me. I have to defeat the androids so that no one has to suffer losses at their hands again. No more mothers will lose their children to them. No friends will be alone anymore. Please," he asked. Chi-Chi sat in silence, not removing her eyes from the rain pattering against the glass. Trunks couldn't tell if she was angry or in pain. He held his breath and waited for her reply.

"I don't know, Trunks," she said finally. She stood. "I don't know." She pulled the door open, filling the room with the golden glow of the lights in the hallway. "Don't forget to change your sheets," she said as she closed the door.

Trunks sat in the sting of silence. He had failed.


	8. Meditation

Trunks exited his bedroom as quietly as he could. He wanted to avoid Chi-Chi as much as possible today so that the events of the previous night would be forgotten. He knew he shouldn't have been so selfish as to request for Chi-Chi's training.

Trunks tiptoed into the kitchen, expecting everything to be still and quite empty. As he reached the kitchen doorway, however, multitudes of wonderful smells greeted him. He could hear someone rustling in the kitchen. It had to be Chi-Chi. Trunks took a deep breath, briefly considering turning back, and pressed on forward. Chi-Chi glanced up as he entered. Instead of receiving the withering glare he had expected, Trunks received a smile. A genuine smile. It was the first time he'd seen Chi-Chi smile. It caught Trunks off guard.

"Have a seat, Trunks," she said, pulling out one of the kitchen chairs for him to sit in. "We've got something to discuss." Trunks walked forward and sat in the chair Chi-Chi offered. She set a plate heaped will all sorts of breakfast foods in front of him and sat across from him. She looked-well, wonderful, and much younger and happier than she had the day before. Trunks pinched himself underneath the table to make sure he wasn't dreaming. He immediately regretted it; there was a stinging welt on his arm.

"Looks great," he said, helping himself to the pile of food in front of him.

"Trunks, about yesterday-" Chi-Chi started.

"I'm sorry," Trunks blurted, his mouth full of scrambled eggs. He swallowed them quickly. "I shouldn't have asked you to train me." Chi-Chi sighed and studied him in silence for several moments. A smile flickered at the corner of her lips.

"You're ready, Trunks," she said.

"R-ready? Ready for what?" he asked.

"I thought about your request all night. I thought you weren't ready. You're just a boy. The fate of the human race shouldn't rest on your shoulders. That's such a tremendous responsibility for a boy to bear," Chi-Chi sighed again and leaned her back against the back of the chair. "But," she continued, "Gohan decided you were ready to be trained. He helped you become a Super Saiyan. He believed you had the strength within you to defeat the androids."

"So, you'll do it?" Trunks asked, letting his fork clatter against his plate. He could hardly believe what he was hearing.

"On one condition," Chi-Chi said. "You have to _promise_ me that you won't go looking for the androids until I think you're ready. I don't want you getting killed."

"It's a deal," Trunks said.

"Then hurry up and finish eating," Chi-Chi said, standing. "We've got a long day ahead of us." She moved towards the front door. "And don't think my training is easy," she grinned as she walked out the door. Trunks wolfed down the remnants of his breakfast and followed Chi-Chi out the door.

"So what are we going to do?" he asked, catching up to her. "Spar? Dodge?" Chi-Chi shook her head at both of his guesses.

"Today you're going to meditate," she said, plopping herself down on a tree stump. Trunks' face fell.

"Meditate?" he asked, groaning. Meditation wasn't very high up on his skill list. Or on the list of things he liked to do. When he was training under Gohan, he'd only had to meditate once or twice. Gohan had an equal distaste for meditation.

"You have to concentrate to become a Super Saiyan," Chi-Chi said. "Goku had to learn to train his mind, and so do you." Trunks sighed and plopped himself down on the grass. "You've meditated before, yes?" she asked him.

"Once or twice," Trunks admitted, slowly closing his eyes.

"You're about to get very good at it," Chi-Chi said. Trunks relaxed completely, doing his best to clear his mind. At first, the minutes dragged on slowly and unsuccessfully. Trunks' mind was far from blank and it was hard to concentrate when he despised meditation with every fiber of his being. He had to focus on his goal: the androids. When he remembered why he was training, the sacrifice became less of a burden. With practice, meditation would become easier and he would be able to concentrate better. Then, hopefully, remaining a Super Saiyan would be far less difficult.

Trunks' peace was broken by a sharp pain at the back of his skull. His eyes snapped open and he whipped his head around. There was girlish laughter that quickly cut itself off. Trunks strained to see any movement in the trees behind him. There was a flash of scarlet, and Destry appeared. Her eyes were wide her hands were over her mouth.

"What's the big idea?" Trunks growled. Destry continued to inch forward, the apologetic look still plastered onto her face.

"I'm so sorry," she said. "I didn't realize you were meditating."

"Oh, so if I hadn't been meditating it would have been okay," Trunks muttered, standing. He looked towards Chi-Chi who was struggling to hold in her own laughter.

"I think that's enough meditation for one day," she said, standing. Trunks let out a sigh of relief.

"What's next?" he asked her.

"You have a guest," Chi-Chi said, nodding her head in Destry's direction.

"But I thought-" Trunks started.

"-There's no point in exercising your mind if you don't give it a well deserved rest," Chi-Chi interrupted. "Don't be rude. Go on," Chi-Chi smiled and turned back to the house.

"I'm sorry," Destry repeated once they were alone.

"It's alright," Trunks shrugged. He absentmindedly ran his hand across the back of his head. He was sure there would be a bruise. Destry sure had a good arm.

"Why were you meditating?" Destry asked.

"I'm just training," Trunks said, slightly embarrassed though he was unsure why. "Do you wanna go for a walk or something?" He asked, quickly changing the subject. Destry nodded, taking his arm.

"My father is sure to have lunch ready back at my place if you want to come," she said. "I kind of owe you, anyway," she said. Trunks nodded, forgetting briefly that Destry couldn't see him.

"That'd be great," he added, feeling like a fool. Destry smiled.

"Maybe afterwards you could teach me some of the martial arts stuff you know," she grinned.


	9. Destry's Promise

Destry's father was a kind man. It was different, having a father-like figure around; Trunks had always only had his mother, and now Chi-Chi. Destry's father made Trunks think on his own father. Had times been more peaceful and Trunks' father was still alive, would his family eat together like this?

There was a strong bond between Destry and her father, of which Trunks was admittedly jealous. He knew he had that bond with his mother, but he'd never had a chance to know his father. He didn't know what parts of him were from his father. His mother told him that his temper was an inhabited trait from his father, but Trunks would have liked to see it for himself. Trunks knew that as much as his mother told him he was almost lucky to have not met his father, he knew that she missed him even more than Trunks.

"Thank you," Trunks said, after their lunch was finished. He made his way to the front door, preparing to leave.

"You're sure you don't want to stay longer?" Destry's father inquired. Trunks laughed.

"Chi-Chi will worry if I'm not home soon," he said. He could only imagine the tongue lashing he'd get if he was late. That wasn't something he wanted to bring upon himself.

"Well, you're welcome here anytime, Trunks," Destry's father smiled. "It's nice for Destry to have a companion so close to her own age."

"I'll be back soon," Destry called to her father as she bounded out the door and joined Trunks. She playfully nudged Trunks with her elbow and lowered her voice as she directed her comment toward him.

"Only you're not going home just yet," she smiled linking arms with him. "We're going to spar a little bit first, and I'll see what I can learn from you, city boy."

They hadn't traveled too far from Destry's home until they came upon a small clearing in the woods. The stream was bubbling close by. Everything was peaceful, as always. Destry stopped walking and slid her arm away from him. Trunks glanced over at her. Her features were alight with excitement as she put her guard up.

"You're really serious about this, aren't you?" he asked, following suit.

"You ready, city boy?" she asked. Without waiting for an answer, she lunged forward, taking Trunks by surprise. She clipped his shoulder with a powerful jab. She was quick and graceful, more so than anyone Trunks had ever seen. Perhaps the most impressive thing about her skills was that she didn't rely on her eyes. She _couldn't_. She was a formidable opponent without her sight.

As Trunks did his best to doge her lightning fast movements, he couldn't help but notice her beauty. He felt childish suddenly, grateful that Destry could not see his flushed face. He realized he was distracted a moment too late, and took a powerful hit that sent him soaring. Instinctively, he took to the sky. Destry froze where she was, listening for his movements.

"Trunks?" she called out. Trunks quickly made for the ground. She turned to face him upon hearing his feet touchdown. "Where did you- how-"

"-I can fly," he clarified, immediately aware of how lame that sounded. Destry was silent for a moment. Her face broke out into a slow smile.

"New rules," she said, placing her hands upon her hips. "No flying. I can't do that yet." Trunks agreed to the conditions and Destry lunged at him once more. Trunks was so distracted that he hardly noticed how quickly Destry was wearing down. His body was moving instinctively. He kicked Destry in the chest and she flew several feet back. She collapsed and was still.

Trunks was frozen, horrified by what he had just done. How could he have been so _stupid_? He should never have agreed to spar with Destry in the first place. He had more training than she did, not to mention the fact that he was half Saiyan, giving him more strength than any human could possess. He ran quickly to her side.

"Destry," he said weakly, kneeling down at her side. "Destry, are you alright?" He took her hand in his. She gave no response. "Oh, Kami," he breathed.

He felt a searing pain underneath his rib cage. It took him several moments to realize that his pain came from a source other than his own shock. Destry was sitting upright smiling, her hand still formed into a fist.

"You're good, city boy," she laughed, "But it's going to take a lot more than that to finish me." She tried to stand, but her movements were still shaky. Trunks was on his feet in moments, helping her to stand.

"That wasn't funny," he said as Destry stood upright. "I really thought-" He stopped himself. He didn't want to sound like an idiot again.

"You thought what?" Destry asked, still holding on to Trunk's hand. Her touch was gentle and soothing. Her sightless eyes were searching his face.

"I thought I was going to lose you," he admitted, looking down to the ground. Destry put her hand to his cheek, tracing his jaw line with her slender fingers. Gently, she brought her lips to his. Her kiss was soft and empathetic, almost timid. Trunks had stiffened at first, but felt himself relaxing with Destry's touch, almost as though he were falling into her.

"You'll never lose me, city boy," she said as she pulled away, a large grin on her face.


	10. Shelter from the Storm

The rain was quite unexpected. Trunks and Destry found themselves running quickly, hand in hand, towards shelter. Chi-Chi quickly welcomed them inside, ushering them towards the warm fire that was already crackling in the fireplace.

"I don't want either of you to catch cold," she said, silencing their protests. "You just relax and I'll get you something warm to drink." Chi-Chi quickly exited the room, leaving Trunks and Destry with no choice but to comply with her orders.

Trunks sat cross legged in front of the fire while Destry stretched out like a cat. A satisfied smile flew to her face as her soaked skin was warmed by the flames.

"Will your father be worried about you?" Chi-Chi asked as she re-entered the room and handed Destry a cup of hot chocolate. Destry sat, taking the cup she was offered, and shook her head.

"As long as I come home after the storm, he'll be fine," she said, sipping the soothing liquid. Chi-Chi sighed. Trunks knew that Chi-Chi was concerned for Destry's father, but there really wasn't anything that she could do. She offered Trunks his own cup of hot chocolate.

"Well, I can't have you out in that weather," Chi-Chi mused aloud. "It's already too late for you to travel home, so you'll just have to stay here. Are you _sure_ your father won't be worried?" she asked. Trunks smiled. Chi-Chi was a worry-wart, but she did care for others deeply.

"He won't worry," she said. "He knows where I am." Chi-Chi seemed to relax a little at that. She sighed and a beat of silence ensued.

"Trunks, you'll show Destry to bed, won't you?" she asked, yawning. Trunks nodded. Chi-Chi smiled and bid them a good night, exiting to her room.

"She seems a lot happier," Destry observed. "I guess I've only seen her once or twice since Gohan died."

"You knew Gohan?" Trunks asked curiously. Destry nodded.

"Yeah," she smiled at the memory. "We ran into each other a couple of times while hunting. He was real good to his mom, always brought her meat. You know, fish so big you and I could hardly carry them." Trunks laughed. That was definitely what Gohan would do for his mother.

The two sat in silence for several more minutes, soaking up the glowing flames of the fire. Trunks noticed that Destry's eyes were beginning to droop.

"You want me to show you where you'll sleep?" he asked softly. Destry smiled and nodded. Trunks stood, taking her hands and helping her stand. He gently led her through the house until they reached Gohan's old room. He guided her to the bed, and let her sit.

"I'll be back in the living room if you need me," he said, softly. He heard Destry call out her thanks as he turned to walk out.

Trunks lay down to sleep, happy thoughts buzzing through his head. For the first time since the androids' arrival he felt like things were looking up. He felt… happy. He closed his eyes with a smile still on his face and drifted off into a light sleep.

It seemed like mere moments later when he heard a cry from Destry's room. His eyes snapped open, but he didn't move. His mind could easily be playing tricks on him. Shortly, he heard the sharp cry again, though this time it seemed louder. He quickly stood and rushed to Destry's room.

"Destry?" he called softly. He cracked her door open ever so slightly. She was lying in bed, asleep. Trunks pushed the door all the way open. So it was a nightmare. As he neared Destry's sleeping figure he realized she was crying. He knelt on the unoccupied side of the bed and put a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Destry?" he whispered softly. Her sightless, tear-filled eyes snapped open.

"Trunks," she said, sitting upright. She threw on a false smile. "What's going on?"

"Are you alright?" he asked her. "I heard you- You sounded upset," he said. Destry's false smile faltered.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to wake you." Her voice was shaky and scared sounding. She leaned forward and hugged Trunks as tightly as possible. Trunks could feel her elevated heartbeat as well as the rapid pace of her breathing.

"It's okay," he said, helping her to lie back down. He lay beside her, and she snuggled her shivering form close to him. "What was it?" he whispered.

"Nothing," she muttered. "It's just a recurring nightmare." She seemed to be a bit embarrassed by this fact and tried to act as though nothing was bothering her anymore.

"It can't be nothing," Trunks said, gently. "Tell me."

"Sometimes I dream of my mother and sister," she said slowly. " I dream of their deaths. You would think after all this time it wouldn't bother me anymore, but I'm still haunted by them." Trunks didn't urge her to divulge more. He knew how she felt.

"I'm going to stay right here, so just try to go back to sleep," he said, absentmindedly playing with a strand of her scarlet hair.

"Thanks, Trunks," she whispered to him. Trunks smiled. She pulled the blankets up to her chin, covering not only herself with their comforting warmth, but Trunks as well. He lay as still as possible, watching her slowly slip back to sleep. He wouldn't let himself sleep; he was afraid that Destry would wake from another nightmare. He wanted to be there for her. He merely lay there, looking at the calm that was written across her face.

Despite his best efforts, Trunks eventually fell into a deep sleep with Destry's small form pushed up against his and her slender arm wrapped around his waist. They were both completely peaceful, each one seeming to provide comfort for the other.


End file.
